It is both an honor and a pleasure to serve as the 2012 President of the Pittsburgh FPA. On behalf of all of our members, I would like to extend a huge thank you to Darla Main for her leadership and enthusiasm during 2011. She has left some large footsteps to follow in!

This year's Board of Directors is a wonderfully dynamic blend of seasoned professionals and longtime members along with young planners new to our profession and association. We are energized and filled with ideas to bring value to our members.

In addition to our traditional continuing educational opportunities, we will be offering special "members only" events. The first of these will be held in Feb., is free to our members and will offer a terrific opportunity to prepare for the New Year and network with other members. Additionally, we will be exploring initiatives to bring increased awareness to the public as to who the FPA really is while giving back to the community at the same time. Look for further details on this in upcoming messages.

I urge you to get involved with FPA in 2012. Consider joining a committee or volunteering for a specific event.   This is your association and the real value of membership is derived from getting to know other members. We look forward to your participation and feedback throughout the year.

Best Regards,

Ruth A. Forsyth, CFP®